Amid community concerns over a fracking proposal in Western Australia’s Kimberley, and continued fracking debate in the US Presidential election campaign, a Monash expert is available to discuss the exploration of alternative rock-breaking technology for sustainable and energy efficient extraction of rare earth minerals and hydrocarbons.
Professor Ranjith Pathegama Gamage, Director of Deep Earth Energy Research Lab, Department of Civil Engineering
Contact: +61 3 9903 4840 or [email protected]
Read Ranjith’s commentary at Monash Lens
Ranjith is available to discuss issues related to areas of expertise including:
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Using wastes to produce green value-added products
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Hydrogen as Fuel
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Storage of chemical/nuclear waste in underground caverns
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Tunnelling in soft and hard ground
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Slope stability of large deep, open cut mines
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Underground longwall mining
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Shale Gas: Stimulation methodologies for enhancement of recoveries
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Geosequestration of Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
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Rock physics under high pressure conditions
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Renewable energy (geothermal)
The following quotes can be attributed to Ranjith:
Australia should continue with gas extraction
“Gas extraction is one of the solutions to counter the threat of climate change, but we simply can’t carry out the same mining methods that have been employed over the past few centuries.
“Developing rock-breaking technologies that use less energy is key to this so that the future of mining won’t require us to dig big holes in the ground, haul heavy rock to crushing plants, and grind it to a fine powder.
“Our breakthrough approach is a world-first in that it’s non-explosive and uses very little water. Our research team has been using a fluid form of carbon dioxide (supercritical CO₂) to sweep methane from the coal seam for extraction, while leaving some of the CO₂ behind, stored safely in the coal. Various environmentally-friendly ingredients are mixed with water to make a thin slurry. This is injected into rock, and slowly expands as it sets, thus non-explosively breaking the rock.
“The Slow Releasing Energy Material Agent (SREMA) (patent pending) – can break rocks on the surface, several kilometres deep, under water, or under heat. It has many applications, including in mineral/metal extraction, hydrocarbon (oil/gas) extraction, and geothermal energy extraction.
“Not only does this avoid contaminating groundwater, inducing seismic activity, or consuming precious water supplies, but it produces better fracture networks that yield resources far more efficiently.”
Finding ways to turn waste into products
“The more we can recycle and reuse these waste products, the better off we’ll be while we wait for the development of cleaner technologies. For example, our team has been able to capture fly ash from coal power stations and use it (and CO₂) to create an environmentally-friendly, high-yield agricultural fertiliser.”
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About the Deep Earth Energy Lab
Monash’s Deep Earth Energy Lab is the first of its kind with advanced facilities enabling unprecedented research on coal-seam gas, shale gas, oil, and deep geothermal recovery testing under complex and extreme geological conditions. Through the lab, Monash has drawn international attention as a powerhouse for large-scale testing applied to deep-earth explorations. The SREMA invention represents a significant advancement in the field, offering a method to reduce the energy consumption and environmental impact of traditional mining practices.
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For any other topics on which you may be seeking expert comment, contact the Monash University Media Unit on +61 3 9903 4840 or [email protected]
